


let it snow baby

by electricladyland



Category: Hockey RPF, Women's Hockey RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 11:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4833152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/electricladyland/pseuds/electricladyland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taylor hasn’t been to many Pens Christmas parties, but even she knows this one is different.</p>
            </blockquote>





	let it snow baby

Taylor hasn’t been to many Pens Christmas parties, but even she knows this one is different.

The group of attendees is noticeably smaller than usual, for starters. And there are no cameras around.

“No cute video for website this year,” Geno tells her when she mentions it. “PR team in big trouble for letting Sid go on camera with half face like chipmunk.”

Taylor grins. She can’t help it. It’s not amusing that the entire Penguins PR department is in hot water for mishandling this mess with the mumps. But that video?

Taylor has that video saved to her phone.

Taylor is going to be playing that video at family parties for fucking _years_.

“Means lots open ice,” Geno says thoughtfully. “We could practice? You have equipment in car?”

Another good thing about the mumps putting a solid chunk of the team, including her brother, into isolation? That Taylor gets to crash at Geno’s place until Sid’s in the clear. Geno and Flower, they’re her favorites of all of Sid’s friends, and not just because she’s known them the longest out of anyone still on the team.

The fact that Sid and his house are extremely contagious right at this moment would typically drive her to seek shelter at Mario and Nathalie’s, but neither Steph nor Austen are home for the holidays and there wouldn’t be any point in staying there just for Alexa, who has her own friends to be hanging out with. When Sid said her options were Geno’s place or a hotel, the choice had been simple.

“Yeah, I have my gear.” It was the first bag she put into the boot of his car when he picked her up on the way to the party earlier. “But food first.”

They're late because Geno had to wait at the curb while Taylor was canvassing her room at Sid's house to ensure she wasn't leaving any essentials behind. The ice is teeming with families with kids, the single guys are at the open bar, and the food table is free. They load up their plates enthusiastically and socialize while they eat. Taylor gets to spend time with Flower and Vero, who look so happy they’re practically giddy with it.

“Having second baby,” Geno intones and smiles when she nearly falls over her own feet in her haste to congratulate them.

He's bouncing on his toes, anxious to get on the ice. Most of the kids are off now. Some families are already leaving the party. Taylor doesn’t feel guilty for holding out a palm for Geno's keys, running out in the rain to get her gear, and suiting up in the dressing room.

She waddles on to the ice and lets Geno take shots at her while Flower yells encouragement and advice from behind the boards. Geno’s got a wicked slapshot. It’s scarily accurate from the blue line. His backhand isn’t bad either.

“Yes!” Flower claps heartily when she makes a showy glove save from point blank range. “Crosby 15, Malkin 9.”

In reality, Taylor’s only blocked half of Geno’s shots but Flower’s been ignoring most of the ones Geno gets past her, pretending he didn’t see because Estelle was telling him something interesting when Geno complains. The lie stops being available when Estelle falls asleep and Flower and Vero wave to them as they leave.

They keep at it until the whole place is deserted. They’re definitely going to return to Sewickley late at night but Taylor can’t begin to care. She loves this. Rinks have been like her second home since before she could walk and even when she’s frustrated with hockey, she loves them. Here it doesn’t matter that she’ll probably have to stop playing regularly when she graduates. Here she doesn’t have to stress about how she thought she would see more game time when she applied to Northeastern.

“Thanks,” she pants when Geno skates to the boards and beckons her to follow. She takes off her mask and gloves and arches her back to work out some of the soreness. It’s a good kind of ache. She feels like she earned it. “I needed that.”

Geno looks at her. Taylor fights the urge to push her hair off her face. No point trying to look less messy when her face is no doubt tomato red from exertion.

“No problem,” he shrugs, holding out a chilled Gatorade from a cooler under the bench. “You get so good. Even better than last time.”

When Taylor takes it from him, their fingers brush around the bottle and Taylor’s breath catches inexplicably. She takes long, cooling sips of Gatorade to shake it off. Some trickles out the sides of her mouth. She brushes the droplets away with her sleeve. No point trying to look less messy, she reminds herself.

“The last time I was fourteen and you went easy on me, don’t pretend you didn’t.”

He smiles but doesn’t admit to it. “What you want do for dinner? Restaurant?”

Taylor’s exhausted. They were on the ice for a lot longer than she’s accustomed to. Even Geno looks drained and his conditioning has to be better than hers. She gets it. The Pens have had a busy week. He must be glad for the break.

“Can we get it to go?”

He nods. Relieved, she splits off to shower and get back into her clothes. Geno has his shoes on again but his clothes are damp with sweat. He’s wincing uncomfortably when he pulls his sleek little sports car up outside a restaurant that looks warm and well-lit inside.

“Sid likes this place,” Geno says.

Yeah. She recognizes it as one Sid has taken Taylor and their parents to before.

The food is delicious when they have it all spread in front of them on Geno’s table. Taylor can’t say she’s surprised. Geno let her order and she’s excellent at ordering.

“Hey, I’m not putting you out, am I?” she asks after carefully swallowing her mouthful of shrimp.

“What?”

“Me staying here until Sid’s house is safe again. I hope it’s not cramping your style, interfering with your plans.”

She grins, hoping to lighten the mood. He’s been reticent since they wrapped up shooting practice. There’s been conversation over dinner but it’s mostly been her talking and answering his questions about she’s liking Boston. Her classes. Her team.

He smiles and it’s the same as it’s ever been toward her. Open. Friendly. Ever since she met him for the first time at age eleven.

“Of course not. Wouldn’t offer if not happy to have you.”

There's still a faint troubled pinch between his brows, but she can’t detect any insincerity in his voice and she finds her mood lifting because of it. “Okay. Good. So what are our plans for tomorrow?”


End file.
